Bulls hit with injury and one-point loss that hurts finals chances

NOBLE Park stars Kemperman, Dore and Kidd go down as Bulls lose match and injury count to feisty Montrose outfit.

Eastern Football League

THIS time there was no escape act from Noble Park.

This time ran out on the Houdini impression.

In two of their three previous home matches the Bulls had conjured thrilling come-from-behind victories.

But on Saturday at the Pat Wright Senior Oval injuries exacted a toll and they walked off with a one-point loss to Montrose that will make it difficult for them to play in the finals.

Taking a 15m penalty after marking and receiving a late hit, captain Craig Anderson kicked a goal from the top of the square at the 25-minute mark of the last quarter to make the scores 7.10 to 7.9, in favour of the visitors.

Could the Bulls pinch another one? Not this time. The siren went two minutes later, presenting Montrose with its ninth win of the season, good going for a club navigating Division 1 waters for the first time since 1995.

Noble Park lost on the scoreboard and on the injury count too.

Young Liam Kidd (ankle) and ace veteran Stuart Kemperman (bicep) went off in the first quarter and didn’t return.

There was another blow in the third term, with key forward Brett Dore hobbling off with a foot problem. His day was done.

It left the Bulls to fight it out with only one player on the bench in the final quarter.

They started it one point in front, but it wound up being the margin of their defeat.

Matthew Petracca made a set-shot to put Montrose six points up at the 11-minute mark. From there it was a grind in conditions made greasy by a burst of rain in the third term.

Noble never stopped pushing, Sam Monaghan and Craig Anderson always running and distributing through the centre and Jarrod Plymin, Tim Kelly and Trent Cody steady figures coming out of defence.

But without Dore, and with Heath Benninger slapping shackles on Shayne Allan, the Bulls lacked a forward focus and could find no major score until Anderson popped up. But time was against them.

Dore had given them two goals as they edged out to a 13-point lead midway through the second quarter.

Montrose responded with the next four, ultimately a matchwinning run.

Monaghan, as tireless as a windmill, had 26 possessions for Noble Park, Kelly 24 and Dan Keely 22.

Collingwood VFL-lister Trent Cody caught the eye with his ball use off half back and Noble again had stout service from Nhill recruits Will Kelly and Matt Jones, who slotted two long goals in the third quarter to keep the hosts afloat.

“We tried to hang on but with only one on the bench it was too tough an ask,’’ Bulls coach Jon Knight said.

“I reckon they (Montrose) were a bit more desperate around the footy at times, got in a bit harder and lower and got it out to their runners.’’

Noble Park is six points away from fifth, but Knight said his team remained in contention.

“If we win every game who knows what might happen. The top sides have to play each other. It’s definitely going to be hard but we’ll whack away.’’

Montrose coach Brett Johnson tipped praise on his defenders Benninger, Brendan Gardoll and Jason Lindgren.

“I thought our backline held up really well, played well as a team. We were under the pump early,’’ he said.

He said it was an important win for his club and that he was pleased with his team’s progress considering the “massive step-up’’ from Division 2.

“We haven’t gone out and set any lofty goals,’’ Johnson said.

“These guys are just trying to improve their footy playing against fantastic opposition every week. We’re giving it our best shot and seeing where it takes us.’’

The Bulls have this weekend off, then play struggling Scoresby on Saturday, July 26.